The magical R-rating is both a gift and a curse to Adam Sandler's signature brand of lowbrow humor. In That's My Boy the comedian returns to the dim-witted roots that made him a star in early outings like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore (complete with high-pitched mushmouth accent) but with a ramped up "ew" factor. Unrestrained Sandler piles on as many expletives and gross-out scenarios as a two-hour movie can hold — and it works out quite well. With costar Samberg nailing the disgusted straight man role Sandler's penchant for acting like a fool is enhanced by the sick stylings of director Sean Anders (Sex Drive) and only occasionally teetering into truly offensive territory. Laughs aren't guaranteed but the movie provokes (which is a big step up from Jack and Jill).
Back in the '80s Donny had a secret relationship with his teacher Ms. McGarricle that resulted in a son Han Solo (he's a middle schooler what do you expect?). The torrid affair put McGarricle in jail Donny into celebrity tabloid spotlight and Han Solo in the hands of a tween father. Thirty years later everyone's screwed up: Donny (Adam Sandler) is a drunk on the brink of jail time for tax evasion McGarricle's still in jail and Han Solo (Andy Samberg) now "Todd " is a successful number-cruncher with severe social issues. On the weekend of Todd's wedding Donny reenters his life hoping to bring revive their relationship and reunite him with his mother — that is on camera so Donny can make $50 000 from a gossip TV show and stay out of the slammer. Posing as Todd's long-lost best friend Donny stirs up trouble becoming buddies with Todd's friends and family and acting like a imbecile.
The wedding setup is overdone but always prime for comedy: plenty for a numbskull to screw up logical progression (there's a wedding at the end!) and a bachelor party scene to squeeze in the most disgusting bits and have them make sense. That's My Boy makes the most of its conventions — including what we all know and expect from a Sandler comedy — by continually one-upping itself. After a night of heavy drinking at the local strip club/omelette bar that results in do-it-yourself ear piercing and robbing a convenience store with Vanilla Ice Todd returns home to expel the night's worth of drinking all over his fiancee's wedding dress. Then he makes love to the dress. Then his fiancee (Leighton Meester) wakes up to find the dress. Then it goes even further than one would care to imagine. Grossed out yet? Amazingly lower-than-low brow material is handled with clever timing and great delivery. It's just that the foundation is bodily fluids.
That's My Boy falters when it throws in gags that serve zero purpose to the story. Strange racist humor a mentally retarded bar patron played by Nick Swardson (a Sandler mainstay) random allusions to Todd Bridges' drug habits — barrel-scraping one-offs that have nothing to do with the movie. At two hours the movie needs slimming and the fat is apparent. Thankfully the main ensemble goes to great lengths to make the hard R comedy click with Sandler and Samberg playing well off each other (although Samberg doesn't have the making of a leading man after this movie) and SNL alums like Will Forte Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer driving by to bring the funny. Even Vanilla Ice's extended cameo fits the anything-goes tone playing a version of himself that befriended Donny in his celebrity days. Now he works at an ice skating rink.
After a few lame ducks That's My Boy is a return to form for Sandler. It wavers in quality but it has energy and color. A cash-in this is not and for any Sandler fan with a stomach for hardcore bathroom humor it's a must-see.
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Featuring more tears, tantrums, and tonsil hockey than a high school parking lot after the homecoming dance, The Glee Project launches itself firmly into the land of melodrama with its second episode. Seeing as that’s where Glee has lived for the last two — arguably three — seasons, one is wont to think that this means the contenders are rockin’ it. But, because of one itsy bitsy problem, one would be mistaken. You see, the thing is, everyone sucks. There, I said it.
The curtain rises on episode 2 to reveal Rob Ulrich ready to dish out a healthy helping of homework. The theme is “Danceability” (not a real noun) and the contenders will have to choreograph and perform The Go-Go’s masterpiece “We Got the Beat” for this week’s super secret surprise judge/mentor. The days of the kids democratically doling out lyrics seems a distant memory, as the girls take off their earrings and the guys roll up their sleeves to fight to the death for the chance to sing the very best five words. The honeymoon stage of this show is o-v-e-r, over.
That night, back in the dorms, Taryn is losing her s**t. She’s probably having an identity crisis, because Lord knows I have no idea who she is. Is she even on this show? Oh, she’s just stressed and kids are mean and she wants her mom. So she leaves. Immediately. I’m not joking; Taryn packs her bags and white titles roll across a black screen to tell us that Taryn is no longer a contender. So, that happened. Moving on.
Homework day! Rob wears his very best wig to the choir room to watch the kids kick up their heels and shake their moneymakers. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First we have to meet the super secret surprise judge/mentor. Whoever could it be?? This is about dance, so my money is on Heather “Single Ladies” Morris or Harry “Abs of Steel” Shum Jr. Nope — foiled again! It’s (one of the) Glee Project Season 1 winners, Samuel Larson. Does he even count as a Glee cast member? He may be super dreamy in a Burning Man sort of way, but I’m not sure 45 seconds on Glee makes you an expert. Sammy Boy’s got some advice, though, so listen up. “Do you, but do it hard,” he whispers breathlessly behind an oppressive curtain of dreadlocks. And with that, it’s time for some Go-Go’s.
I might as well have fast-forwarded through the homework performance for all that I was able to get out of it. The editors of this show sure do love their quick cuts! All this schizophrenic darting from singer to singer really makes it difficult to decide who draws your eye and who stands out from a crowd. I think maybe Abraham looked okay, and Lily’s got a good energy, but who really knows what the bleep is going on. But when the song finishes, Rob is clapping his hands and pronouncing it the best homework assignment ever. Bold words, Rob. You’ll be eating them later. Samuel gets confused and thinks that Abraham is actually Harry Shum Jr. in disguise, so the fierce Asian wins this time around.
NEXT: What’s old is young.
Robert announces that the music video song this week will be LMFAO’s “Rock Party Anthem,” and all the contenders are excited because this means they are, like, actually invited to a party. (This totally counts, right? RIGHT? This totally counts.)
Into the hall of mirrors the contenders go for some exercises in self-reflection led by choreographer extraordinaire slash life coach (and probably the love of my life) Zach Woodlee. “Please don’t do the stupid wedding dance,” Zach pleads, to which all the kiddies say, “Who, me?” and bat their eyelashes while they surreptitiously lawnmower and shopping cart and electric slide all the way to Zach’s bad side. Lily loves to pop her chest, shake her ass, and make confused faces, we learn, and poor Tyler lacks any sort of internal rhythm. Don’t blame this on the testosterone, child, it’s not the hormones’ fault that you can only move one limb at a time.
There’s no rest for the weary on The Glee Project, as things go from bad to worse in the recording booth. Generic cute boy is up first and he is pretty bad. Then Ali thinks it’s a good idea (which it isn’t) to riff on her “Rock Party Anthem” chorus. Den mother Nikki thinks that is pretty ill-advised and asks her to cool it. Pretty Lily with the Clearasil ad perfect skin seems to have lost complete control of her vocal cords, and Nikki responds by morphing into her catty alter ego Giggles McGee on the other side of the glass. “OMG this is so bad, amirite?” she transmits telepathically to whatever assistant happens to be nearby. I’m starting to worry about Lily, folks.
The contenders must push their abysmal recording sessions to the shadowy recesses of their minds as they gear up for the best. Party. Ever. And let me tell you, the party they create for their LMFAO video is such a party. Such a party. There are Cheetos and 2-liter bottles of Coke and, wait for it, spin the bottle. Holy crap, how did we get to such a fun party?
I’m going to take a second here to make you all aware of the fact that every contender on this show is over the age of 18. They may be gunning to play teens on TV, but for the large part, everyone is an honest-to-goodness adult. So, explain to me, my friends, why everyone is acting like they are in middle school. Nellie announces that she doesn’t want to play (fake) spin the bottle because she thinks kissing is special, and Aylin shows off just how little her conservative Muslim parents know about her by snogging everyone with a face. First, she makes out with generic good-looking homeboy Blake, but then poor Charlie starts to sulk because he was totally flirting with her first, he even touched her wenis! Is nothing sacred?! Good thing Aylin is so nice, she cheers him up with a kiss that is equal parts pity and look-at-me-I’m-awesome-slutty.
NEXT: Does Ryan Murphy have Bieber Fever?
The spit-swapping portion of the music video is over, for now, and it’s time for some choreo. As is to be expected with this uncoordinated bunch, no one remembers his or her moves. Zach shuffles over to the corner, wrought with despair, to mutter to himself. “The horror, the horror!” he chants to Nikki’s sympathetic ear. It’s at this point that all the grownups in the room realize that the contenders aren’t even remembering to lip sync. Oops. It’s the beginning of the end for these Glee hopefuls.
The audience is treated to a viewing of the finished music video and, despite the judges’ bemoaning, it doesn’t seem that bad. The editors must have spent some late, Red Bull-fueled nights splicing this one together. But again, no one stands out to me; everyone is equally unappealing at this point (although I am pretty into Michael’s hoodie. Where can I find one of those?)
Judgment time. Zach, telling it like it is as always, announces that it’s time all the judges figure out who sucked the least. Aylin, Shanna, Blake, and Michael were dubbed the least bad and scurry off stage. Dani, Lily, and Tyler were pronounced The Worst and have to sing for their lives. Here’s the rundown of the Last Chance performances.
1. Dani sings Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” Seems not too bad. There is something so watchable about her. I want her so badly to be great. Well, she’s not great, but she’s fine. Dani reveals that she wants to be the voice of her generation, to which Mama Murphy responds, “Okay, but can you sing Broadway and use jazz hands?” Justin Bieber isn’t so sure.
2. Tyler sings Elton John’s “Daniel.” His voice sounds like he inhaled a whole bunch of helium. Everyone is being super nice because he is going through such a huge transition, but I still think his voice sounds like baby Michael Jackson. I’m just not that into him, too bad he’ll probably win.
3. Lily sings Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like a Woman.” Oh my, she’s stripping and dancing and singin’ it like she means it. This is fun! Too bad the judges think she is a sourpuss because she argued with my main man Zach. Mama Murphy is not impressed with her attitude. Lily then breaks the No. 1 rule of job interviews by telling Ryan Murphy that she argues with authority figures a lot and generally thinks her thoughts are more important than everyone else’s. Murphy does not like that one bit.
As the heartfelt voiceovers begin, I realize that since Taryn left on her own volition this week they technically don’t need to send anyone home. This could be the lucky break Dani or Lily needs (because anyone who has seen a promo ad for Glee knows that Tyler is guaranteed to make top 5). In fact, I’m so sure that everyone is staying, and so smug about figuring out the twist ending before everyone else, that I almost don’t even watch the callback list reveal. But as I head to the kitchen for another cookie, I see Dani’s sad, beautiful face out of the corner of my eye. Turns out Ryan Murphy just doesn’t have Beiber Fever. Avril Lavigne swells in the background, as it does each week, while Dani makes her final exit and everyone cries — including me (almost); I liked Dani bunches.
Previews for next week show more tears from the contenders and tough love from the mentors. Nikki drops some knowledge on the wide-eyed and bushy-tailed crew, “Not one of you is ready to be on Glee.” Bam. After more winners than they could handle last season, could this season go the way of Making the Band and dub no one victorious? Only time will tell. In the meantime, just remember to always do you, but do it hard.
[Image Credit: Oxygen]
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Glee Project Premiere Recap: They’re Beautiful in Their Way
The New Glee Project Cast: Who Has a Shot at Winning?
Glee Project Winner Damian McGinty Talks About Life on GleeThe Glee Project

There's probably still someone somewhere that would fall for one of Sacha Baron Cohen's weird and wooly scenarios but let's face the facts: the days when Ali G. could snag an interview with Pat Buchanan or Gore Vidal are long gone. 2009's Bruno definitely let some steam out of Borat's tires not to mention the ensuing lawsuits. But it's refreshing to see Cohen and his Borat/Bruno cohort director Larry Charles flex their muscles in the fictional universe of The Dictator a vehicle that doesn't skimp on their signature cringe-worthy humor.
The world of The Dictator gives them the leeway to create crazy spectacles — at one point Cohen's General Aladeen rides down Fifth Avenue on a camel surrounded by a giant motorcade. Having a plot helps too; although part of the genius of Sacha Baron Cohen's schtick is how the viewer is made culpable by proxy by our amusement and horror at how he tricks and torments people who aren't in on the joke The Dictator continues the self-reflexive satirical bite. We're certainly not off the hook. Aladeen says and does truly outrageous things but they're also exaggerations of the world we live in. It might be a stretch to call Sacha Baron Cohen the British Lenny Bruce or George Carlin in a face merkin but rest assured that no topic is off limits. If you are offended by jokes about abortion rape feminists body hair race religion politics STDs war crimes ethnic cleansing necrophilia and/or bestiality don't even bother. However if you like the kind of comedy that makes you hide your face in your hands feeling like each laugh is being pried from you against your will you're in business.
Cohen eats up the screen as both General Aladeen and his incredibly dumb body double; the latter prefers the intimate company of one of his goats to a human while the former is a fairly stupid ruthless dictator whose own people are so disloyal to him that they actually ignore his commands to execute people. (He really likes to execute people.) When he arrives in New York City to attend a summit at the UN his uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) has the two switched so he can easily manipulate the "General" into signing a treaty to make Wadiya a democracy and reap the financial benefits. Aladeen finds refuge with Zoe a hairy-pitted activist who thinks he's a political dissident and is excited to be able to give him a safe haven in her touchy-feely Brooklyn grocery co-op. Instead of being typecast as another blonde dummy Anna Faris is finally given room to play as the wide-eyed naïf who takes Aladeen's very serious statements as jokes or simple miscommunications. She's a great foil to Baron Cohen who is easily half a foot taller than she is and has a wolfish grin. Their banter is often the most politically incorrect of the bunch but also the funniest.
Alas the plot. It's a bare bones situation to get a very broad character from A to B. Aladeen is obviously an outlandish mishmash of modern dictators; he spouts racist misogynist rhetoric endlessly and after a while...yeah we get it. However like all of Sacha Baron Cohen's humor The Dictator also takes a direct shot at Western countries (specifically the United States) which would be all fine and dandy if he didn't wedge an expository speech in about it as well. The problem with making a traditional narrative movie is that with some exceptions you've got to play within the guidelines. The Dictator isn't trying to do anything fancy; all it needs a few big beats and a neat ending to wrap it all up. It doesn't quite manage to tie it all together in a way that makes The Dictator more than an hour and a half or so of laughing and cringing.
Besides Faris and Kingsley there are a number of cameos by a very wide variety of comics and actors. Megan Fox plays herself Kevin Corrigan appears as a creepy dude who works at the co-op John C. Reilly is a racist security guard and Fred Armisen runs an anti-Aladeen café in New York's Little Wadiya district. The very funny Jason Mantzoukas has a large role as Nadal the former head of rocket science who was supposedly executed for not making Aladeen's nuclear warhead pointy. It's a good ensemble and hopefully Sacha Baron Cohen's next feature-length film will build on The Dictator's weaknesses.

Pierce Brosnan has signed up for the upcoming thriller The Coup, alongside Owen Wilson. That's right — Owen Wilson is starring in a thriller!
The Coup tells the story of an American family who relocate to Southeast Asia, only to find themselves caught in the middle of, you guessed it, a coup. In a dangerous environment in which foreigners are being executed, they're forced to quickly find refuge.
John Erick Dowdle, who directed the 2010 M. Night Shyamalan-produced horror movie Devil, will helm Coup from his own co-written script. The movie is due out next year.
Former 007 Brosnan's most notable upcoming project is 2013's A Long Way Down, based on the Nick Hornby novel of the same name. Wilson, meanwhile, has, among other high-profile movies in the works, Freezing People Is Easy, just the second non-documentary from The Fog of War filmmaker Errol Morris.
[Image: DailyCeleb]
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[Variety]

In a post-Harry Potter Avatar and Lord of the Rings world the descriptors "sci-fi" and "fantasy" conjure up particular imagery and ideas. The Hunger Games abolishes those expectations rooting its alternate universe in a familiar reality filled with human characters tangible environments and terrifying consequences. Computer graphics are a rarity in writer/director Gary Ross' slow-burn thriller wisely setting aside effects and big action to focus on star Jennifer Lawrence's character's emotional struggle as she embarks on the unthinkable: a 24-person death match on display for the entire nation's viewing pleasure. The final product is a gut-wrenching mature young adult fiction adaptation diffused by occasional meandering but with enough unexpected choices to keep audiences on their toes.
Panem a reconfigured post-apocalyptic America is sectioned off into 12 unique districts and ruled under an iron thumb by the oppressive leaders of The Capitol. To keep the districts producing their specific resources and prevent them from rebelling The Capitol created The Hunger Games an annual competition pitting two 18-or-under "tributes" from each district in a battle to the death. During the ritual tribute "Reaping " teenage Katniss (Lawrence) watches as her 12-year-old sister Primrose is chosen for battle—and quickly jumps to her aid becoming the first District 12 citizen to volunteer for the games. Joined by Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) a meek baker's son and the second tribute Effie the resident designer and Haymitch a former Hunger Games winner-turned-alcoholic-turned-mentor Katniss rides off to The Capitol to train and compete in the 74th Annual Hunger Games.
The greatest triumph of The Hunger Games is Ross' rich realization of the book's many worlds: District 12 is painted as a reminiscent Southern mining town haunting and vibrant; The Capitol is a utopian metropolis obsessed with design and flair; and The Hunger Games battleground is a sprawling forest peppered with Truman Show-esque additions that remind you it's all being controlled by overseers. The small-scale production value adds to the character-first approach and even when the story segues to larger arenas like a tickertape parade in The Capitol's grand Avenue of Tributes hall it's all about Katniss.
For fans the script hits every beat a nearly note-for-note interpretation of author Suzanne Collins' original novel—but those unfamiliar shouldn't worry about missing anything. Ross knows his way around a sharp screenplay (he's the writer of Big Pleasantville and Seabiscuit) and he's comfortable dropping us right into the action. His characters are equally as colorful as Panem Harrelson sticking out as the former tribute enlivened by the chance to coach winners. He's funny he's discreet he's shaded—a quality all the cast members share. As a director Ross employs a distinct often-grating perspective. His shaky cam style emphasizes the reality of the story but in fight scenarios—and even simple establishing shots of District 12's goings-on—the details are lost in motion blur.
But the dread of the scenario is enough to make Hunger Games an engrossing blockbuster. The lead-up to the actual competition is an uncomfortable and biting satire of reality television sports and everything that commands an audience in modern society. Katniss' brooding friend Gale tells her before she departs "What if nobody watched?" speculating that carnage might end if people could turn away. Unfortunately they can't—forcing Katniss and Peeta to become "stars" of the Hunger Games. The duo are pushed to gussy themselves up put on a show and play up their romance for better ratings. Lawrence channels her reserved Academy Award-nominated Winter's Bone character to inhabit Katniss' frustration with the system. She's great at hunting but she doesn't want to kill. She's compassionate and considerate but has no interest in bowing down to the system. She's a leader but she knows full well she's playing The Capitol's game. Even with 23 other contestants vying for the top spot—like American Idol with machetes complete with Ryan Seacrest stand-in Caesar Flickerman (the dazzling Stanley Tucci)—Katniss' greatest hurdle is internal. A brave move for a movie aimed at a young audience.
By the time the actual Games roll around (the movie clocks in at two and a half hours) there's a need to amp up the pace that never comes and The Hunger Games loses footing. Katniss' goal is to avoid the action hiding in trees and caves waiting patiently for the other tributes to off themselves—but the tactic isn't all that thrilling for those watching. Luckily Lawrence Hutcherson and the ensemble of young actors still deliver when they cross paths and particular beats pack all the punch an all-out deathwatch should. PG-13 be damned the film doesn't skimp on the bloodshed even when it comes to killing off children. The Hunger Games bites off a lot for the first film of a franchise and does so bravely and boldly. It may not make it to the end alive but it doesn't go down without a fight.
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The black and white film completed a weekend trio of triumphs after also winning gold at the Cesar Awards in Paris on Friday (24Feb12) and the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California on Saturday (25Feb12).
The Artist filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius was also triple weekend winner after claiming the Best Director honour at the Hollywood &amp; Highland Center on Sunday, and the film also took home trophies for Costume Design and Score, while Jean Dujardin became the first Frenchman to pick up the coveted Best Actor award for his portrayal as silent film star George Valentin.
Meanwhile, Martin Scorsese's first 3D film Hugo picked up five of its 11 nominations in categories including Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing.
Other big winners at the 84th Academy Awards included Meryl Streep (Best Actress), Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress), Woody Allen (Best Original Screenplay), Alexander Payne (Best Adapted Screenplay), Christopher Plummer, who, at 82, became the oldest actor ever to win an Academy Award, for his supporting role in Beginners, and A Separation, which became the first movie from Iran to win a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Billy Crystal returned to host the ceremony for the ninth time and kicked off the show with one of his famous movie montages, playing The Artist's leading man George Valentin in a silent torture scene and George Clooney's comatose partner in The Descendants.
The odd couple shared a kiss as the movie hunk and Oscar nominee woke the sleeping comic and told him he had to host the ceremony, joking, "The Academy has got the youngest, hippest writers in town."
Crystal also placed himself in scenes from The Help, Bridesmaids, The Adventures of Tin Tin, Moneyball and Midnight in Paris, where he doubled up as Sammy Davis Jr. opposite Justin Bieber.
There was also a cameo for Tom Cruise in a brief Mission: Impossible skit.
In his opening monologue, Crystal joked, "The movies have always been there for us... so tonight, enjoy yourself because nothing can take the sting out of the world's economic problems like watching millionaires present each other with golden statues."
The full list of 2012 Oscar winners is:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Artist
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Best Achievement in Directing
Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Alexander Payne, Jim Rash &amp; Nat Faxon (The Descendants)
Best Animated Feature Film
Rango
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
A Separation (Iran)
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Robert Richardson (Hugo)
Best Achievement in Editing
Kirk Baxter &amp; Angus Wall (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo)
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Dante Ferretti &amp; Francesca Lo Schiavo (Hugo)
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Mark Bridges (The Artist)
Best Achievement in Makeup
Mark Coulier &amp; J. Roy Helland (The Iron Lady)
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Ludovic Bource (The Artist)
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Bret McKenzie (Man or Muppet from The Muppets)
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Tom Fleischman &amp; John Midgley (Hugo)
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Phillip Stockton &amp; Eugene Gearty (Hugo)
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman &amp; Alex Henning (Hugo)
Best Documentary Feature
Undefeated
Best Documentary Short
Saving Face
Best Short Film, Animated
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Best Short Film, Live Action
The Shore
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards
James Earl Jones, Dick Smith &amp; Oprah Winfrey

The Help and The Artist originally led the pack by scooping four nominations apiece but Martin Scorsese's Hugo has now become the one to beat after walking away with mentions in a slew of technical categories including Art Direction, Costume and Visual Effects.
Hugo will duke it out with The Help and The Artist for Best Picture, alongside War Horse, Moneyball, The Descendants, The Tree of Life, Midnight in Paris and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
Demian Bichir (A Better Life), George Clooney (The Descendants), Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Brad Pitt (Moneyball) will compete against The Artist's Jean Dujardin in the Actor in a Leading Role category while Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Nick Nolte (Warrior), Christopher Plummer (Beginners) and Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) are all up for the Actor in a Supporting Role award.
The nominees for Actress in a Leading Role aside from The Help's Viola Davis are Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs), Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) and Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn) and in the race for Actress in a Supporting Role alongside The Artist's Berenice Bejo and The Help stars Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer are Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) and Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs).
The major list of award nominations were announced at a press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday (24Jan12) by Winter's Bone star Jennifer Lawrence and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak.
The 84th annual Academy Awards ceremony will take place on 26 February (12) at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, and will be hosted by veteran Billy Crystal.
The complete list of nominees is as follows:
Best Picture:
War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Actor in a Leading Role:
Demian Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Actress in a Leading Role:
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
Actor in a Supporting Role:
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Actress in a Supporting Role:
Berenice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Directing:
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick - The Tree of Life
Foreign Language Film:
Bullhead - Belgium
Footnote - Israel
In Darkness - Poland
Monsieur Lazhar - Canada
A Separation - Iran
Adapted Screenplay:
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash - The Descendants
John Logan - Hugo
George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon - The Ides of March
Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin - Moneyball
Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Original Screenplay:
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids
J.C. Chandor - Margin Call
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Asghar Farhadi - A Separation
Animated Feature Film:
A Cat in Paris
Chico &amp; Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Art Direction:
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
Cinematography:
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Sound Mixing:
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Sound Editing:
Drive
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Original Score:
John Williams - The Adventures of Tintin
Ludovic Bource - The Artist
Howard Shore - Hugo
Alberto Iglesias - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
John Williams - War Horse
Original Song:
Bret McKenzie - Man or Muppet from The Muppets
Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown, and Siedah Garrett - Real in Rio from Rio
Costume:
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.
Documentary Feature:
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated
Documentary (Short Subject):
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Film Editing:
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Makeup:
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Iron Lady
Animated Short Film:
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life
Live Action Short Film:
Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic
Visual Effects:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon